Portrait of actor Tiagunov 1910

David Burliuk made this portrait of the actor Tiagunov with oil on canvas. Look at how he fearlessly approaches the swirls of colour, the broken surface of the brushstrokes, and the pure energy of the pigment. I imagine Burliuk in his studio, staring intently at Tiagunov, trying to capture not just his likeness but his essence as a performer. I can almost see Burliuk layering paint, building up the textures to create a tactile and almost sculptural surface. The rapid brushstrokes around the actor’s figure seem to vibrate with emotion, while the cool greens and blues in the background create an eerie contrast with the warm fleshtones. Burliuk was a key figure in the Russian avant-garde, and you can see him in conversation with other expressionist portraitists like Kirchner and Heckel. Yet, in its raw energy, this portrait feels very particular to Burliuk. Painting is like thinking aloud, embracing the beauty of imperfection and the possibility of unexpected discoveries.